S. Korean envoy holds talks with N. Korean officials in Pyongyang

SEOUL -- The special envoy of South Korean President Moon Jae-in held talks with senior North Korean officials in Pyongyang Wednesday to make preparations for a fresh summit amid concerns that a stalemate in denuclearization talks could disrupt inter-Korean rapprochement.

At a hotel in Pyongyang, the envoy met with Ri Son-kwon, chairman of the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country, and Kim Yong-chol, a senior party official involved in talks with South Korea and the United States, the president's office said in a statement.

After a 39-minute conversation, the South Korean delegation led by Chung Eui-yong, head of the presidential National Security Office, moved on to an undisclosed place for separate talks, the office said. The delegation included National Intelligence Service (NIS) head Suh Hoon and Vice Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung.

Chung carried Moon's letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, but it was not clear whether the envoy would meet the leader.

The one-day trip followed a telephone conversation Tuesday between Moon and U.S. President Donald Trump. "The two leaders discussed the latest developments on the Korean Peninsula, including our ongoing efforts to achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea as agreed to by Chairman Kim Jong-un," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

Moon told Trump that they are at "a very important juncture" in establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula while Trump expressed his hope that South Korean delegates would produce great results, the presidential office said.

Moon was also quoted as saying improved inter-Korean relations would contribute to denuclearization and the establishment of permanent peace on the Korean peninsula.

Chung said in Seoul Tuesday that his trip would focus on fixing the date and agenda for the third inter-Korean summit to be held in Pyongyang sometime in September.

In April, the two Koreas agreed to work on ending the status of war, stop all hostile acts against each other and replace a fragile armistice signed at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War with a lasting peace regime. Two months later, U.S. and North Korean leaders agreed to forge a lasting peace regime in return for Pyongyang's complete denuclearization.

However, there has been slow progress in denuclearization, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to cancel a scheduled North Korea visit by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Washington wants quick and tangible steps to achieve denuclearization while Pyongyang insists on a gradual and synchronous approach.

Signing a peace treaty has been a key subject at inter-Korean talks because North Korea wants a non-aggression accord with the U.S. to ensure the security of its regime. Some 28,000 U.S. troops have been stationed in South Korea under a mutual pact.